The Boston Bruins already have the defending USHL MVP in their ranks with Will Zellers, who is currently at the University of North Dakota. Zellers had 71 points in 52 games with the Green Bay Gamblers in his MVP season, but the Bruins' 2025 third-round pick Cooper Simpson is on pace to shatter that mark. Simpson has 15 points in 11 games, putting him on pace for 84 in 62.
Cooper Simpson leads the USHL in scoring with 5G-10A-15PTS in 10GP and has one of the more impressive releases you’ll find. Simpson, No. 21 in white, sets up in the shooter position before releasing a top-corner snipe. Take note of his form— heads up the whole way. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/Nqj40zjMkF
— Bruins Network (@BruinsNetwork) October 19, 2025
Ironically, Simpson will join Zellers at North Dakota next season. It'd be an intriguing accomplishment for the Bruins to have the back-to-back USHL MVPs in their system, and while the USHL is just a stepping stone in a long road, those two forward talents developing together in college is a good sign for Boston's future. However, an 84-point pace, if he keeps it up, puts Simpson in an entirely different category.
While no one came close to the 84-point mark last season in the USHL, the last person to nearly hit it was Matvei Gridin in the 2023-24 season with 83. Gridin surprisingly stole a spot on the Calgary Flames out of training camp this season, and has now been sent to the AHL, where he will likely put up a significant number of points.
The last player to eclipse the 84-point mark was Macklin Celebrini in the 2022-23 season. Celebrini was younger than Simpson when he did it, which makes it even more impressive, but he is also a different type of prospect as the No. 1 guy in his class. Simpson as a third-round pick offers plenty of value if he's producing at the same pace as Celebrini with just an extra year of experience.
Of course, these numbers don't always translate to immediate NHL ascension. For every Celebrini and Gridin, there's a Jeremy Wilmer who recorded 98 points in 2021-22 but is still toiling away in the NCAA. While Wilmer doesn't have NHL rights, there's a good chance he is one of the more intriguing free agent prospects once this college season ends with his 115 points in 118 career NCAA games.
While some of the shine has gone away from the USHL, the truth still stands that only great players have seasons like Simpson is projecting to have. If he becomes Gridin or even Wilmer, it could be one of the better wins of Don Sweeney's drafting career.